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Health & Fitness

Mommy Watch ME!!!

When being there for your child just isn't enough.

There’s such a fascination with mothers. You watch a professional football player’s stern face on the sidelines during a heated game.  As the camera slowly pans closer to him he looks up, and a smile breaks out on his face. Focusing directly at the camera he says, “Hi Mom!”

We witness this spectacle on large jumbo trons often. Grown men at a baseball game sit unnoticed in the stands until one of them spots himself on the large screen and gestures to the remaining crew. They wave and cheer in the hopes that Mom is watching and wave hello to her as if she is glued to the television waiting for the child’s moment to shine.

Where did this need to be watched by our mothers stem from? I’m not a child psychologist, but having observed my two kids, I feel well qualified to speculate that this phenomenon is nurtured from a young age.

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When a baby takes their first steps we applaud, smile and pay such close attention to every detail. We’re quick to add our “oh-oh” when they drop something.  Babies love that! They see we’ve reacted so naturally, they drop the object again watching for our response.  Then as the later years arrive we herald them when they can ride a bike without training wheels. They shout, “Mom watch me, I can do it!” Of course we’re very proud of their achievements.

 Case in Point:  Swim class for my kids commenced recently.  The day arrived when I brought them out to the pool and held their towels on my lap. A mere look at their beaming faces and one could tell they were thrilled to be there.  What child doesn’t adore the pool?  I pulled out my latest book, chit-chatted with my friend and set in for 45 minutes of reading, gossiping, and occasionally peeking up here and there to make sure all was well.  Did that happen though? No.  My daughter would call out (yell) to me as she swam by in her lane. I’d stare as her orange noodle poking out of the water passed me, like the fin of a great white from “Jaws” peeking out of the water. 

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“Mom. Hey mom, watch me.”

“Mom, are you looking? Watch me!”

I would reassure her that indeed I was watching her.

Two more minutes went by, but after several unsuccessful attempts to resume reading, or continue a conversation with my friend, I was called by my daughter yet again. (She’s become louder now-and other moms are noticing)…

“Mom, Helloooo, watch me!”

She then proceeded to take her two fingers and pointed to her eyes.  Then, pointed those two fingers back at me. I’d been marked. She just Robert DeNiro’ed me! The same move Robert DeNiro’s character from “Meet the Fockers” used on Ben Stiller’s character when he was keeping an eye on him. She was sending me a message: Watch and marvel at my achievements in the pool, or sleep with the fishes tonight.  My six year old meant business!  I put away my book. I cut off all conversation with my friend.  With a renewed sense of fear and focus I watched as she struggled to swim back and forth with her noodle but she knew I was watching. Once she got to the end of her lane I received an enthusiastic thumbs up! It felt great to know I pleased my daughter simply by watching her and the orange noodle swim by. Lesson learned. I am now well prepared for her dance class next week.

 Our kids are intense with us watching them, be it as youngsters or even as adults. Moms never forget this. Keep making eye contact and they will reward you with smiles every time. To all the moms out there reading this, Happy Belated Mother’s Day and Mom, incase you are reading this too, “HI MOM! Watch me! I have a Blog!”

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